The highly-anticipated inaugural season of The Golden Bachelorette is in full swing, with 24 men competing for Joan Vassos' heart. After a few episodes, multiple contestants have set themselves apart as potential Bachelor Nation leads. The franchise has a habit of recasting former contestants as leads. In fact, 61-year-old Joan made her television debut on The Golden Bachelor season 1, when she was one of the women dating Gerry Turner. The private school administrator was married to John Vassos until he died of cancer in 2021. The widower really caught Gerry's eye, and the two hit it off during a solo date, but Joan had to leave the season early due to a family emergency.
Joan may not have been around for long, but she certainly made an impression, and she was cast as the spin-off's first female lead. During the premiere of The Golden Bachelorette season 1, Joan greeted 24 impressive older men who were looking for their own second chance at love. During the first few episodes of the season, Joan has formed strong connections with several men, but they can't all win her final rose. As Joan herself can attest to, being eliminated doesn't necessarily signal the end of a Bachelor Nation journey. Though there are plenty of great men on Joan's season, here are 10 that deserve a chance at being The Golden Bachelor.
10Charles Ling
66 Years Old
Like Joan, 66-year-old Charles was also widowed lost his beloved wife to a brain aneurysm six years ago, after 36 years of marriage and two children together. Charles is still in deep mourning for his wife, and it's one of the most endearing things about him.he retired financial analyst from Philadelphia was encouraged to join the cast of The Golden Bachelorette season 1 by his daughters, who wanted their father to find love again. Since Charles was already eliminated and won't be winning Joan's heart, he'd make an excellent replacement for Gerry on The Golden Bachelor. Being on the show helped Charles to find more closure when it came to his late wife's tragic passing.
9Jack Lencioni
68 Years Old
Before joining the cast of The Golden Bachelorette season 1, Jack was a 68-year-old caterer from Chicago, Illinois. Jack is a big Elvis Presley fan who attended the late star's final live concert in Chicago. The gregarious Jack stood out as quite the character during The Golden Bachelorette season 1.
He took advantage of the chef's kitchen at the Bachelor mansion to cook Joan an elaborate dinner, which she seemed to enjoy.
The other men competing for Joan's roses loved Jack, who was always good for a laugh. Jack was eventually eliminated, but not before he took full advantage of the Bachelor mansion's pool. Jack would make an entertaining choice as a Bachelor lead, and fans would certainly never be bored.
8Keith Gordon
68 Years Old
Keith Gordon set himself apart from the other men of The Golden Bachelorette season 1 from the moment he arrived at night one of the unscripted dating series. Foregoing the usual limousine entrance, Keith pulled up in a classic car and stepped out to meet Joan with a huge grin. That night, Keith not only received Joan's first impression rose, he got her first kiss of the season. Joan, the mother of four adult children, promised her children that she wouldn't kiss too many men.
Joan kept her promise to her children by kissing only one man on the first night, and that lucky man was Keith.
Joan said that Keith made her feel safe and protected, the way her late husband made her feel. Getting Joan's first rose is one thing, but getting her last rose is another thing entirely. If Keith wasn't the lucky man who walked away on Joan's arm, he would make an excellent replacement for Gerry on The Golden Bachelor.
7Gary Levingston
65 Years Old
65-year-old Gary is a retired finance executive who hails from Palm Desert, California. Gary is the godson of legendary musician Tina Turner, and shares his godmother's love of music. Not only does Gary have a beautiful singing voice, but he can dance too. The outgoing Gary got a chance to show off his moves during The Golden Bachelorette season 1, and Joan was blown away. During a group date to the prom, Joan and several men, including Gary, got all dressed up and danced up a storm to a performance by Taylor Dane. Gary is a great communicator and one of the most gregarious men on Joan's season, so there's no doubt that he'd be a great Golden Bachelor.
6Pascal Ibgui
69 Years Old
The Golden Bachelorette season 1 features several men from the great city of Chicago, Illinois, including 69-year-old salon owner, Pascal Ibgui. Pascal is a French national with a great accent, and he is certainly the most stylish of Joan's men. Pascal describes himself as high maintenance, and he doesn't know how to cook, clean, or even do his laundry.
Pascal relies on the other men in the house to help him with daily chores, but they don't seem to mind.
Pascal jokes that he may not be a very good cook, but he promises to make up for it by making great reservations. Pascal is currently still very much in the running to win Joan's heart, and he's clearly one of her favorite men. If he doesn't receive Joan's final rose, the attractive and sophisticated Pascal would make an excellent replacement for Gerry on The Golden Bachelor.
5Guy Gansert
66 Years Old
There's a doctor in the house on The Golden Bachelorette season one. 66-year-old Guy Gansert is an emergency room physician who hails from Reno, Nevada. When not saving lives, Guy has the heart of an adventurer, and plans to hike Mount Kilimanjaro this fall. Whether Joan will be joining him remains to be seen. If Joan doesn't choose Guy, he would make an excellent option to be The Golden Bachelor.
Aside from being attractive, Guy appears to be a genuinely kind person.
During an episode of The Golden Bachelorette season 1, he helped fellow contestant Charles Ling find some closure regarding the death of his wife. When another contestant, a military veteran named Kim, wanted to sing a group song he wrote for Joan, all the other men refused, but Guy agreed to sing it alongside Kim. If Guy doesn't win Joan's love, Guy deserves a second chance.
4Chock Chapple
60 Years Old
During night one of The Golden Bachelorette season 1, Joan met her 24 contestants, including Chock, a 60-year-old insurance executive from Kansas. Though he didn't get her first impression rose, she did ask Chock to stay, and there was clearly chemistry between the pair. The second episode of the season kicked off with Chock receiving Joan's first solo date, but that doesn't mean he's going to win Joan's final rose.
Joan and Chock have a lot in common, as he too had to leave the show early due to a family emergency.
Sadly, Chock's mother passed away while filming the season, and he had to leave to be with his family. He returned later that same episode though, and is still in the running to end up with Joan. If Joan chooses someone other than Chock, he deserves another chance at finding love on The Golden Bachelor.
3Jonathan Rone
61 Years Old
61-year-old Jonathan is a shipping consultant from Oakland, Iowa. Jonathan is into fitness and there was even a time in his life where he considered being a bodybuilder. Joan was instantly attracted to the tall, handsome Jonathan and the two had serious chemistry. Jonathan really stood out to Joan during the prom group date, and he is still in the running to win the whole show. If Jonathan doesn't end up winning The Golden Bachelorette season 1, the sensitive Jonathan would make an excellent replacement for Gerry on The Golden Bachelor season 2.
2Jordan Heller
61 Years Old
Jordan is a 61-year-old sales manager from Chicago, Illinois. Jordan says that he's an old-fashioned man who misses the simple things in life. Jordan really stood out to Joan during the big group date to the prom, and it was revealed that he once dated Taylor Dane, who was performing for them.
At this point, Jordan hasn't received a solo date with Joan, but she definitely seems to like him.
If Joan ends up eliminating Jordan, producers should consider casting him as The Golden Bachelor. Not only is he traditionally attractive, he's cooler than many of the other men, and would likely inspire a lot of women to apply to be on the show. It would also be an opportunity to learn more about Jordan, as he remains quite a mystery at this point.
1Mark Anderson
58 Years Old
Joan isn't the only familiar face on The Golden Bachelorette season 1. Mark Anderson is a 58-year-old retired Army veteran from Leesville, Louisiana. Mark made his television debut during The Bachelor season 28, when his daughter, Kelsey Anderson, brought her now fiancé, Joey Graziadei, home for a family visit.
Mark was married to his late wife, Denise Anderson, for 18 years until she passed away in 2018.
Mark's warm, sensitive nature and rugged good looks made him an instant fan favorite, and it's no surprise that he was cast in The Golden Bachelorette. Though Joan seemed to like Mark, he still hadn't received any solo dates and very little one-on-one time. If Joan wasn't that into Mark, he would be the perfect person to replace Gerry on The Golden Bachelor season 2.
|
Joan's Remaining Men |
Age |
Occupation |
Hometown |
|
Chock |
60 |
Insurance executive |
Wichita, KA |
|
Guy |
66 |
ER doctor |
Reno, NV |
|
Jonathan |
61 |
Shipping consultant |
Oakland, Iowa |
|
Jordan |
61 |
Sales manager |
Chicago, Ill. |
|
Keith |
61 |
Girl dad |
San Jose, CA. |
|
Mark |
57 |
Army veteran |
Leesville, LA |
|
Pascal |
69 |
Salon Owner |
Chicago, Ill. |
|
RJ |
66 |
Financial adviser |
Irvine, Ca. |
|
Thomas |
62 |
FDNY Chief |
New York, N.Y. |
The Golden Bachelorette season 1 airs on Wednesday nights at 8 pm ET/PT on ABC.
